Cool rooms are crucial for the survival of every fresh produce business. If you are operating a grocery shop, dairy shop, seafood restaurant, or other fresh food stores, you need to make sure that the food gets to the customer in the best condition.
Cool room failure often leads to the deterioration of food quality. When the refrigeration system can no longer keep the temperatures low inside the room, pathogens start to thrive, and this could lead to food getting spoiled and other losses. Therefore, you should always check the condition of your cool room and ensure that it is running optimally. Here are three easy ways you can tell your cool room needs inspection and repairs.
When Ice Builds Up on the Walls
Ideally, the inside of your cool room should be both cold and dry. A properly functional cold room has a mechanism where the warm air is sucked out of the chamber, taken through the condenser coils, and replaced with cold air from the condenser.
However, a damaged wall gasket can lead to the accumulation of moisture inside the chamber. When the humidity comes into contact with the cold interior, it forms icicles. An easy way to deal with this problem is repairing the leaking bit to stop the flow of moisture and end ice buildup.
When the Food Produces a Stale Smell
Another telltale sign that a cool room's efficiency is failing is when the food starts producing a musty smell. When food is kept under controlled temperatures, it should stay fresh from the time it arrives in the cold room to the expiry date.
However, if it starts smelling rotten before the expiry date, this is an indication that cooling is not effective and that microbes have started thriving inside the cool room. The best way out is to have a professional inspect the room and fix any issues.
When the Energy Bill Goes Up
Another common telltale sign that your cool room is failing and needs repair is when it starts to consume a high amount of power to keep the food in perfect condition. This could be an indication that the motor or the condenser coils are failing.
Only a professional cool room repair technician can inspect and correctly identify the problem with your failing cool room. Take your time and choose a reliable expert to help you keep your food fresh and healthy.